Device for operating car couplers



A. E. SMALL Dec.28 1 92 6. 4 1,612,157

DEVICE FOR OPERATING CAR COUPLERS ori in Filed Oct. 8-, 1924 jjwenzar:

Arzh 012E 512ml] Azzbrney I Patented Dec. 28, 1.926.

ARTHUR E. SMALL, 0]? OAK PARK, ILLIII IS, AEBSIGIIGB Ti) UNION METAL PRGD'UCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLIHOIS, A CORPORATION OF BELAVJARE.

DEVICE FOR- OPEEATING GAB Original application filed October 8, 1924, Serial No. 742,395. Divided and this application filed March This particular invention relates to what is generally known in the art as a rotating type of uncoupling device for car couplers and comprises an operating rod .revolubly mounted on the car with brackets or in any other convenient manner, which rod is usually bent downwardly at the outer end to form a handle. and is bent outwardly at its inner end to form a crank projecting over the coupler lock litter. The standard vertical plane coupler has a knuckle pivoted to the coupler head and provided with a tail behind which the lock is placed. The lock litter protrudes through and above the coupler head and is provided with a horizontal- 1y positioned eye. This lock lift-er eye is 1 in diameter and its axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal center of the car. This size and position has been determined by the American Railroad Association and is standard for the majority of couplers now in service.

My invention resides in the connection between the crank ot the operating rod and the eye on the coupler lock lifter. When the handle is raised the rod is revolved and the crank is thereby raised which unlocks the coupler by raising the lock litter.

The coupler moves backwardly and torwardly longitudinally of the car in bufiing and draft and also moves sidewise in rounding curves, etc, and the connection between the coupler and the operating rod must permit such movements without the componentparts becoming disengaged from each other or trom either the coupler or the operating rod. cars when they are coupled together and incontact so that it is impossible to throw the knuckle of either coupler. To meet this condition couplers are designed to assume a lock set position wherein the lock litter can be raised from behind the tail of the knuckle and retained in such a position by means within the head of the coupler independent of the operating rod. This allows the operating rod to fall close to the lock litter. To accommodate such a movement the connection between the operating rod crank and the coupler must tore-shorten or have a sliding engagement with either the operating rod or the coupler.

Another object is to provide a connection which may be hooked into the eye of the It is frequently necessary to uncouple Serial No. 14,282.

coupler lock litter with the hooked mem ber connected to the crank of the operating rod by another member which permits it to adapt itself to the various service move-- ments of the coupler but prevents it from becoming disengaged from the lock litter in service.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a portion of a railway car with my invention applied thereon.

Figs. 52 and 3 show an enlarged assembly o1 my device. I

In a railway car the coupler operating rod. 1 is mounted onthe end sill 2 by brackets 3 and has a handle l at its outer end and a crank arm 5 extending over the coupler. The lock litter 7 ot the coupler 8 his a horizontally disposed eye 9. My invention resides in a connector for the crank arm to the lock lifter.

There are two open hooks -451 (preferably duplicates) which engage an eye 62 of the operating rod crank arm 5 and the lock lifter eye 9 respectively. The bars 6 64: are preferably flexibly connected together and are threaded or screwed into the tapped arms of the hooks (60-61) and project therethrough far enough to substantially close the open portion 65-66 of the hooks.

One of the bars may have a right handed thread 67 for engagement with the hook (60) while the other bar may have a left handed engagement (68) with the other hook (61) so that when the two bars are rotated in unison both bars simultaneously move so as to open (or close) the open portions of both hooks. Engagement and dis engagement of the device to the operating rod 1 and coupler 8 are very simple performances. A locking lip 69 is provided on either hook (or both it desired) which is moved to the position shown in full lines, after the device is assembled, to prevent the rotation of the bars. Thus the component parts are held in proper relative relation. Shoulders 70 may be provided onthe bars to restrict their longitudinal movement.

This is a division'ot my co-pending application, Serial No. 742,895, filed October 8, 1924.

I claim:

1. A connector for a car coupler lock and its operating rod comprising two open hooks and two bars flexibly connected together,

each bar closing the open portion ofone of said hooks and having a threaded engagen'ient therewith.

2. A connector for a car coupler loci; and its operating' rod comprising two open hooks, two bars flexibly connected together, each bar closing the open portion of one ofsaid hooks and having a threaded engz'igeinent therewith, and means to prevent the rotation of one of said bars relative to its adjacent hook.

A connector for a car coupler lock and tine rod coniprisingtwo open hooks,

her closing the open portion of one. of said hooks and having a threaded engagement therewith, and means integral with one hook to prevent the rotation of its adjacent her.

4. 1n a device for operating the lock ol a car coupler, the combination of coupler operating rod having" an eye, a coupler loch lifter having an eye, two open hooks, each engaging'one of said eyes, and two bars flexibly connected together, each bar closing the open portion of one of said hooks and having a threaded engagement therewith.

n device for operating the lock of a coupler, the combination oft a coupler operating rod having an eye, a coupler loch iiiter having an eye, two open hooks, each engaging one of said eyes, UVOVlOQYS flexibly connected together, each bar closing the open portion of one of said hooks and havmg a threaded engagementtherevvith, and

means integral with one hook to prevent the. rotation of its adjacent bar.

6. In a device for operating the a car coupler, the combination of coupler operating rod having an eye, a coupler lock iirter having an eye,tv.*o open hooks, each.

lock oi.

engaging one oi said eyes, two bars flexibly open portion of said hooks r spec" of said oars hav a rip it hand threaded engagement with one hook and the ot or bar having a lett handithreaded engai vt With the other hook.

8. a device torioperating a car coupier, the combination of a coupler operatingnd having an eye, a coupler lock litter having an eye, two open circular hooks, each enge ing one of said eyes, and tivo bars iiiexihly connected together, each closing the open portion oil? one of said hooks and hava threaded engagement tl'iereivi h the centers 4 1" eaio hooks being in line with as longitudinal axes of said bars.

ARlCi'I'UR E. 

